Steel Ride Third Period to Upend Fighting Saints

By Jordan Kuhns, 10/06/17, 10:30PM CDT

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Steel rain on Saints’ Opening Night parade

DUBUQUE, Iowa — Goals by Jack Dugan, Baker Shore and Austin Magera put the Chicago Steel up comfortable in a 6-2 win over the Dubuque Fighting Saints on Friday at the Mystique Community Ice Center. It was the first game of the season for the Saints, who embarked on the 2017–2018 season.

The Chicago Steel held a 3-2 lead after two periods of play thanks to a go-ahead goal from Sam Stevens, and the Steel rode an early goal in the third period to victory. Jack Dugan scored on a wraparound just 30 seconds into the third period, assisted by Baker Shore and Robbie Stucker, and that goal opened the floodgates.

Baker Shore converted on a screened shot on the power play, the Steel’s second power play goal of the night. Then, Austin Magera scored his first USHL tally on a later one-on-one opportunity to cap the scoring for the visitors.

The Fighting Saints and Chicago Steel were deadlocked after one period, with the Saints responding to each Chicago goal with one of their own quickly. Samuel Bucek got the scoring started on a Fighting Saints giveaway just under five minutes into the game, but 55 seconds later, Josh Maniscalco got the goal back for Dubuque to tie the game on a broken play.

Bucek followed up his stellar night with a power play goal past the midway point of the first period, but with a power play of their own, the Saints responded 90 seconds later. Santeri Virtanen skated behind the net on a power play re-entry and fed Quinn Preston for his first goal of the season, as he shelfed the puck past Steel starter Oskar Autio.

Autio, and the rest of the Chicago defense, stymied the Fighting Saints’ offense for the rest of the way, and shut down the Fighting Saints on Opening Night.

The Fighting Saints’ weekend continues with a Saturday night game against the Green Bay Gamblers. The puck drops at 7:05 p.m. The Saints return home to take on the Waterloo Black Hawks on Friday, October 13 at 7:05 p.m. For tickets, call the box office at 563.583.6880, or go to DubuqueFightingSaints.com.